Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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307. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total budget allocation for the International Protection Office and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal in Budget 2023 and Budget 2024. [37298/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can assure the Deputy that I am fully committed to ensuring that Ireland’s International Protection system is robust and rules based, and that our borders are protected.

I have significantly increased investment into the international protection system, which has allowed for a major increase in processing capacity and the introduction of accelerated processing.

Last July, I published a report on the international protection modernisation programme for 2023 and 2024. This programme involves unparalleled investment in staff, panel members, reengineered processes, and technology. We have implemented measures to improve efficiencies and throughput as well as enhancing the application, interview and decision-making process for applicants.

This has already demonstrated results. I have more than doubled the staff in the international Protection Office, which has trebled the number of decisions issuing from the IPO, and they are confident of delivering over 14,000 decisions this year.

All aspects of the international protection modernisation programme will continue to be kept under review and improved on an ongoing basis.

In 2024 the total budget for the IPO was €31,817,000 and €9,228,000 for IPAT.

In 2023 the IPO was funded under the Immigration Services Delivery unit, whose overall funding was €79,195,000. Within that, the estimated budget associated with the the IPO was €27,000,000. In 2023 the budget for IPAT was €5,999,000.

This expenditure does not include the costs of a range of support services provided to these functions from the overall Department's funding in 2023 or 2024 or for immigration functions closely associated with the international protection process.